Charles Bell

“ Charles Bell was among the candidates: this gentleman was unknown to Fuseli, except by his works: his vote was requested by one of his best and most intimate of friends (Mr. Coutts) for another person: "I cannot," said he, "oblige you; I know of no man in England who is a better demonstrator than Bell; and for a surgeon, he is a good artist; such a man therefore the Academy wants for their Professor, and, as such, I must vote for him." ”

“ Sir Charles Bell makes the following pointed contrast between his brother and Sir Astley Cooper, in regard to their methods: “He (John Bell) seems ever most happy when he can support his reasoning by the authority of those who have preceded him, and feels that he has conferred a [Pg 113] double benefit when he can at the same time illustrate the truth and vindicate the character of some excellent old surgeon, and teach the youth of the present day to look back to the history of the profession for their most useful lessons. ”

“ While Miss Kingscote and Master Charles accorded their ready consent to the connection, it would be difficult to tell its preciousness to Lady Bell. It was like sunshine irradiating a dull landscape, like water springing up in a desert, like the restoration of an alien to forfeited privileges, never before held so dear.
The atmosphere of high-bred and refined society was regained. A sense of reliance in the presence of a powerful friend was experienced. The delightful tie of sisterhood, to which Lady Bell had not been born, was acquired. ”

“ William Bell, and elder brother of Sir Charles Bell. He was educated at the High School of Edinburgh, and early showed a liking for medical studies. He became a pupil of Mr. Alexander Wood, an eminent surgeon in Edinburgh, and, after attending the lectures and practice of Black, Cullen, and the second Monro, became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, in 1780. In 1790 he established himself as a lecturer on anatomy and surgery in Edinburgh in a lecture-theatre built for him in Surgeon's Square, where he carried on dissections, and formed a museum. ”

“ CHARLIE IN A SNOW SQUALL.
Charles would have been more than human if he could have rested easy without a sail for his canoe, after seeing John’s, and sailing with him in his float. He tried a hemlock bush, but he came near filling his boat by means of it. He didn’t like to ask Sally to weave him cloth to make one, as she had to buy her flax and cotton, nor to ask Ben to let him sell fish for it. He therefore set his wits to work to compass his end. He noticed the bottom of the chairs, and asked Ben what they were made of: he told him, of basket-stuff, and how it was made. ”

“ Gregory, i. 103, 105, 110; early years, 108; attacks Monro and Benjamin Bell, 109, 110: excluded from Infirmary, 110; success in practice, 111; operative skill, 111; works on anatomy and surgery, 112; marriage, 113; artistic tastes; 113; illness and foreign travel, 113; death, 114; Observations on Italy, 114; personal character, 117, 118; and Charles Bell, 243, 244, ii. 48, 107. Bell, Sir Charles (1774-1842) , i. 108, 112, 113; birth and education, 243; medical study in Edinburgh, 244; early works, 244; goes to London, 245; artistic anatomy, 245; lectures and early struggles, 246 ”

“ Within an hour, Lady Bell heard that the Kingscotes had been no small drink in England a mort of years before, as early as King Arthur’s time or thereabouts—when they would have thought neither Clifford nor Talbot of their brewst. What a proper young man Master Charles was, and how all the girls were pulling caps for him. How well Miss Kingscote had looked when she walked into Lumley at Assize time, in her pea-green tabinet petticoat and cherry-coloured gown. ”

“ In forming a correct estimate of Bell and his literary work it is necessary to note that although he was an accomplished classical scholar, as his notes to Rollin show, he was not always an exact one, being more intent upon elucidating the ideas of his author than upon niceties of language. ”

“ Robert Aitken, at the Pope's Head, issued the first English Bible in America in 1782, and his daughter, Jane, printed Charles Thomson's translation of the Septuagint in four superb volumes in 1808. Robert Bell successfully compiled Blackstone's Commentaries in 1772, "a stupendous enterprise." Bell did much by his good taste and [Pg 11] untiring industry to advance the literary culture of the city. "The more books are sold," he declared in one of his broadsides, "the more will be sold, is an established Truth well known to every liberal reader, and to every bookseller of experience. ”

“ Miss Kingscote had been still in sheer wonder and consternation far greater than those with which she herself had lately filled Lady Bell.
“Lord ha’ mercy! You don’t go for to say it,” she exclaimed at last, “that you are a lost woman already, and you a mere chit of a girl? Why did Madam Siddons take me in vilely?—though it might have been looked for from a play-actress. What company for Master Charles to have been tricked into!” ”

“ Lady Bell and Miss Kingscote never supposed that the knowledge which they had to give, might not be an insurmountable obstacle to stay Master Charles from wishing to create a closer, warmer friendship between him and Lady Bell. They never fancied that such knowledge might prove as tow to the hell-fire of an unlawful passion, let loose to devastate human nature and social life. What did good women know of unlawful passions even in a wild age? ”

“ It struck more home where Lady Bell was concerned.
“Murder! how comes it,” cried Miss Kingscote, not waiting to divest herself of her yellow pelisse and her hat tied down over her lappets, but sitting brandishing a whip, to the danger of Lady Bell’s eyes, on the first chair which Miss Kingscote could drop into after coming back to her own parlour, “that Nutfield should be a refuge for distressed wives? Sure Master Charles and me is neither husband nor wife, that we should draw such a lot, like honey draws flies. Our lodger to be, is parted from her husband too! ”

“ Others, we know, were deeply scandalised. I have little doubt that Wordsworth himself considered that, in 1798, his own admirers were scarcely ripe for the publication of Peter Bell, while, even so late as June 1812, when Crabb Robinson borrowed the MS. and lent it to Charles Lamb, the latter "found nothing good in it." Robinson seems to have been the one admirer of Peter Bell at that time, and he was irritated at Lamb's indifference. ”

“ Ardent affection is gained by closing both hands warmly, at half arm’s length, the fingers intermingling, and bringing them to the breast with spirit.... Folding arms, with a drooping of the head, describe contemplation.” I have put it to you and you can judge it.
Let us consider Bell’s marginalia of the plays! Every age has importuned itself with words. Reason was such a word, and fraternity, and liberty. Efficiency, 36maybe, is the latest, though it is sure that when you want anything done properly, you have to fight for it. ”

“ Ben was in the house when Charles came for the auger. “What does he want it for?” asked he.
“I don’t know; he told me to get it.”
Ben returned to the woods, wondering what Uncle Isaac could be going to do with the auger. But at night, before Charlie went to bed, he told Ben and his wife all that had been said and done on both sides. Ben remained silent after he had told the story.
At length Sally said, “I don’t think, myself, that boys ought to drink spirit till they are old enough to have discretion, and to make a proper use of it; but to promise never to drink, I never heard of such a thing. ”

“ But when I’ve got over it, I should not wonder though you and me were better friends than ever.” Miss Kingscote ended by smirking and nodding.
“I am content,” submitted Lady Bell, sadly. “But, if you please, Miss Kingscote, we’ll not speak of these unhappy passages in my life. I cannot give you particulars. I must keep my own counsel, only you had better call me Mrs. Barlowe, and let Master Charles know why you do so. He will be tender of my secret. For that matter, I’m not alone; I’m not the only unhappy wife in England, who has been driven to fight her own battle to-day.” ”

“ He is only waiting at home for a pair of colours, which he is certain to get in these war times, so that you may not be long troubled with him. An idle young man is a great trouble and snare. You see I think it right to warn you, Miss Barlowe”—Mrs. Siddons cleared her conscience—“before sending you to this situation.”
“Mr. Charles Kingscote will not keep me back,” asserted Lady Bell, crossing her hands with an almost comical, youthful arrogance in her attitude, which expressed, “I shall put the young bumpkin in his proper place and keep him there, trust me for that.” ”

“ Bell, Charles Webster, United States congressman from the ninth district of California, was born June 11, 1857, in Albany, N. Y. He has been a member of the California State Senate. He was elected to the sixty-third congress for the term of 1913-15; and resides in Pasadena, Cal.
Bell, Fred C., banker; born in Massachusetts, Oct. 25, 1862; son of Joseph S. and Sarah (Packer) Bell; married, Alton, Ill., June 15, 1892, Clara Leyhe. Republican; Presbyterian. Woodlawn Improvement Association, United Charities of Chicago, Woodlawn Park Masonic Lodge, Royal Arch Mason, Shriner. ”

“ John thought he had never seen a finer looking boy than Charlie, and Charlie was internally paying the same compliment to John.
“Uncle Isaac,” whispered Sally, “how shall we get these boys together? shall I introduce them?”
“Nonsense; I’ll soon fix that. Ben, have you got a bushel basket?”
“Yes.”
“Well, let this youngster—What’s your first name, my lad?”
“Charles, sir.”
“Well, let Charles go down with John to the canoe, and fetch up some things your father sent over. That’s the way,” said Uncle Isaac; “they don’t want any of our help; they will take care of themselves.” ”

“ She stays out at Nutfield with a bachelor brother, who is half a dozen years younger than she is; in short, who stands between her and you in point of age. I wish the difference had been the other way.”
“Why, madam?” demanded Lady Bell, like a little Turk.
“You need not look affronted.” Mrs. Siddons did not mind much having given the affront. “Try for your own sake, Miss Barlowe, and not be so thin-skinned; however, neither that defect, nor Mr. Charles Kingscote’s twenty-two years can be mended in a day. ”

“ Thus, all the snow that came during the storm Charles was96 caught in, had already disappeared from the island, while on the main John Rhines could haul wood.
As Charles was in a great measure cut off from all society of his own age, he was never happier than when working with tools, seeming to take the greatest delight in making those things that were useful. Ben permitted him to have the stormy days to himself, when he was always at work at the bench, and did not set him to making shingles or staves, except occasionally, in order that he might learn the art ”

“ But this lass she knows that she and Master Charles can’t at no price come together, since she’s neither a rank fool nor a base hussy, and he’s not an abandoned rakish rascal, God bless him! She’s a safe playfellow for Master Charles, as well as good company for me. ”

“ When a man has finished his job, he has finished it. And as far as the Trade was concerned, Bell had but little more to do. But after that—and his eyes burned smokily in their depths—there was much that he intended to do. He sat in one of the bondes of the Botanical Garden half of the street railway system of Rio, and absent mindedly regarded the scenery. This particular bonde was headed out toward the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, by which salty mass of water Bell would meet Paula Canalejas. He would receive a package from her, which he would deliver to Jamison. ”

“ Of the prosperous-seeming men, however, Bell picked out one here and there toward whom all passersby adopted a manner of cringing respect. Bell lounged against a pole and studied them thoughtfully. Men with an air of amused and careless scorn which only men with unlimited power may adopt. He saw one grossly fat man with hard and cruel eyes. The uniformed policemen drove all traffic abjectly out of the way of his carriage, and stood with lifted hat until he had passed. The fat man gave no faintest sign of acknowledgment.
"I wonder," said Bell slowly, and very grimly, "if that's The Master?" ”

“ The town was silent, then, and only a faint and dwindling murmur came from the line of aircraft headed south.
"They've deserted the town, by God!" said Bell, his eyes gleaming. "Scared off!"
"And—and we—" said Paula, gazing at him.
"You can bet that every man who could crowd into a plane did so," said Bell grimly. "Those that couldn't, if they have any brains, will be trying to make it some other way to where they can subject themselves to one of The Master's deputies and have a little longer time of sanity. ”

“ An alienist and army surgeon, he was born at Francestown, N. H., December 20, 1806, a son of Samuel Bell, who filled the offices of chief justice of New Hampshire, governor, and United States senator; also he was a. descendant of Scotch-Irish stock who settled the town of Londonderry, N. H.
Luther V. Bell was a great citizen in his generation. ”

“ When Mat proposed to lose no time in commencing his work at the out-station, Bell replied that he wished him to wait at Bulinda until a “new chum” arrived from England, who was expected daily.
“Fact is,” he said. “I thought I had done with ‘new chums,’ but a letter I received some time ago reminded me of a promise I once made to an old friend at home, that I would take his son on my station. He says it’s his only son, who will enter into no profession, loves horses, and can ‘rough it’ to any extent. I know what that means by experience,” growled Bell. ”